Telecommunications systems, cable television systems and data communication networks use optical networks to rapidly convey large amounts of information between remote points. In an optical network, optical fibers connect nodes to each other and information is conveyed in the form of optical signals through the optical fibers.
Optical networks typically utilize optical transmitters (also referred to as transmitters) to transmit optical signals at specific wavelengths or channels. Multiple transmitters may be used to transmit information at multiple channels within an optical fiber.
In Ethernet applications, an optical transmitter may transmit the information associated with one or more electrical lanes at a channel to create an optical lane. Typically multiple lanes carry information between two nodes to create a link between the nodes. In conventional implementations, when a lane within a link goes down or is lost, typically due to failure of the transmitter associated with that lane, the link is deemed lost and communication between the nodes coupled by the link is lost.